


Danganronpa: Rejuvenation (Prologue)

by The_Mediocre_Writer



Series: Danganronpa: Rejuvenation [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Fangan Ronpa - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Original, Danganronpa Rejuvenation, Danganronpa: Rejuvenation, Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Gen, danganronpa - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-05-26 15:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 14,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15003398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Mediocre_Writer/pseuds/The_Mediocre_Writer
Summary: Tsukiko Masayoshi is one of sixteen students to join Rejuvenation, a strange company with the mission of making the next generation of Ultimates. As her enrollment begins, she meets her fifteen other eccentric classmates.





	1. Tsukiko Masayoshi

> On September 10th, an escaped prisoner was attacked in the streets by an unknown assailant. Although he survived the initial attack, he passed away after reaching the hospital.

Tsukiko Masayoshi sat on her dingy couch, gripping the pages of the newspaper firmly and waiting with bated breath for what could possibly come next.

Her anticipations were interrupted by a knock on the door.

 _Must be the landlord,_ she thought to herself as she got up from the comfort of her seat. Striding across the room, she made it to the door and cautiously looked through the eye hole. To her surprise, nobody was there.

She carefully opened the door, peeking through the crack. Glancing to and fro, she saw nobody in sight. However, she looked down to see a mauve-colored envelope with the words “Tsukiko Masayoshi” neatly written on it.  

Picking it up from the ground, she quickly retreated back into her room, letter in hand. Without moving another step, she tore open the envelope, revealing a folded piece of paper nestled neatly inside. She unwrinkled the crisp white paper, reading the neatly typed words inside. Above the letter itself was her address.

 _That’s a bit weird,_ she bemused. _How do these guys know where I live? I move around so much that not even I_ _know where I am half the time!_

She quickly scanned over it, curious to see what the mystery letter entailed.

> **_Dear Ms. Masayoshi_**
> 
> **_After careful observation of you and your endeavors, our organization has come to a firm agreement on your skillset._ **

Tsukiko paused reading to mull over what she just read.

_These guys have been… watching me?_

Although she was a bit frazzled that a bunch of strangers possibly knew a bit too much about her, she pressed on and assured herself that it wasn't as bad as she thought it was.

> **_Your sharpshooting skills are bordering on extraordinary. According to the shooting ranges you have attended, you have the mastery to be able to hit your target from a much larger range than most._ **

_See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?_

> **_While your natural talent is incredible, it can be improved further with the right training. That’s where our organization comes in._ **
> 
> **_Our strategy is simple: you and others of your caliber will be trained by our equally-skilled staff members to hone your skills, helping them develop even farther. Our programs will be catered specifically to your skill set and allow all aspects of your talent to be tested._ **
> 
> **_However, complete commitment to this regiment is fully required to get the desired results. To achieve this, you must be prepared to attend classes for four years at our campus. Free lodging and meals will be provided but at the expense of your current lifestyle._ **

Tsukiko bit her lip. _Four years? That’s a long time to be away from the rest of the world._

> _**Your dedication to our services will help us move one more step towards improving the world.** _
> 
> _**Although it’s been years since the Disaster has ended, the effects of it are still lingering. Despite the benefits that Ultimates have had on society, they’ve become a dying breed ever since a select few abused their skills to damage the world. We wish to remove this stigma and train a new generation of world-changing students.** _

Tsukiko eyes lingered on the last three words before carrying on.

> **_We await your arrival at the start of the semester. For further information, please read the attached file._ **
> 
> **_Sincerely_ **
> 
> **_Rejuvenation_ **

_Rejuvenation?_

The name came back to her in a flash. A few months back, the papers announced the company’s grandiose plans to help reshape society. However, there had been protests about the program, calling the idea of bringing back Ultimate Students “a guaranteed way for history to repeat itself.” The company went about their business and sent out letters anyway, though, if last week’s article of a well-respected surgeon was anything to go by.

She looked down at the attached file, wondering to herself one single question.

_Should I go?_

She fiddled with the paper in her hand, mulling over everything she read.

However, one thought destroyed all the others.

_You can change the world, Tsukiko. Sure, it will cost four years of your life, but the rest of your life will repay what you lost._

So, she smiled, packed her bags, and walked towards the next four years of her life.


	2. Nakami Ito

Tsukiko jolted from her sleep like a rocket, her head almost hitting the back of her chair. Groggily trying to regain her sense of where she was, she let out a quick yawn as the fog slowly began to lift from her eyes.

 _“When did I fall asleep?”_ she asked herself as she rubbed her eyes. One minute, she was out hiking out to who-knows-where, a purple envelope being her only compass. The next, she was waking from a dreamless sleep where only the harsh glare of fluorescent lights kept her company.

As the world resurfaced around her, she noticed she was inside a classroom. Rows of desks lined the area, attentively facing a black screen covering up the entire wall like a coat of paint. Everywhere else was drenched in bleach-white, with only the charcoal grey of the floor and the hazel brown of the desks straying away from the rest.

With curiosity growing inside her like a virus, Tsukiko stood up and took a minute to take in the classroom with thousands of thoughts racing through her mind.

_Rejuvenation isn’t messing around. This looks amazing!_

_I wonder what that screen’s for?_

_It would suck if someone got those walls dirty._

_I really made it, didn't I?_

Suddenly, all her thoughts silenced themselves at the sounds of knocking. Although the sound was light, it echoed across the quietness of the classroom. After several small knocks, a timid voice came from the other side of the door.

"Excuse me? Is Miss... Masayoshi in here?"

The voice sounded young and inexperienced, just like her at that very moment. Finding comfort in their shared uncertainty, she responded.

"Yeah! In here!”

Quietness returned to the room for a second until the man’s voice broke it yet again.

"...Do I have permission to enter?"

Tsukiko let out a small laugh. "Do you even need to ask? Sure, come on in!"

And he did.

Tsukiko didn’t know what she was expecting the voice’s owner to look like. But whatever it was, the figure she was presented with definitely wasn’t it.

Standing in front of her was a man about a head taller than her. Dressed in a tight blue uniform, his muscular physique seemed to stand out more. However, what really confused Tsukiko was his face.

Although his body seemed fit for a bodybuilder, his head felt unfitting, like a doll whose head was swapped for a new one. It had a much more circular look to it, enhanced by the blonde buzz cut he’d received. His dark, oval-shaped eyes looked back at her as he began talking once more. 

"Good evening, ma'am! I just wanted to give you this."

He awkwardly thrust his hand forward, passing Tsukiko a device. Looking over it’s exterior, the back was draped in black, with what appeared to be an snow-coloured insignia placed in the center. Flipping it over, the glassy screen matched the color of the back. Her reflection shone back at her with an expression of curiosity.

Waiting for her to finish, the man began speaking again.

"This was in my dorm. I think the school may have switched both of our rooms before we arrived."

Tsukiko smiled. “Hey, thanks!”

The freckles on his cheeks were quickly covered up by a soft tint of red. He returned her smile with his own meek one.

"I-It's no problem, really. Just doing my duty is all."

"Say, you're an Ultimate too, aren't you?" she responded.

"That's right, ma’am. I'm guessing you got an acceptance letter too?"

She smiled at the strange man. “Yeah! Walked straight here as soon as I got it! All I had to do was read the words “world-changing” and I was hooked! I’m guessing you thought the same?”

W-Well, you could say that. I’m just hoping this place can help me help others. Even if it’s just one person, I’ve done my job.”

In an instant, Tsukiko’s eyes lit up. "That's what I want, too! If I can go out there and help thousands of people, I know this place worked wonders.”

She leaned in closer to the stranger.

“Now tell me, what's your talent? Paramedic? Firefighter? Soldier, perhaps?"

His face went back to being beet red.

“I’m…”

He paused for a moment.

“I'm the Ultimate Police Officer. B-But you can just call me Nakami Ito if you want!”

Before Tsukiko had time to react, Nakami interrupted her. "S-Shoot! I'm sorry!” he proclaimed, his stance becoming as fearful as his voice. “I know my profession has a lot of bad people working in it and-"

"N-No, it's fine. I just wish I did what you do. Not sure if that thing you gave me told you, but I'm the Ultimate Sharpshooter. I mostly just shoot targets and stuff, but maybe I'll be able to help others someday."

Although Nakami nodded along, his face seemed more sullen than ever. Tsukiko began speaking once again, distracting him from his thoughts.

"But, hey, enough about me! What type of stuff do you do?"

Nakami’s body quickly reverted back to his formal stance.

“It depends, really. Some days, I just drive around the city looking for people who speed. Other days, I might be called in for a drug bust. But usually I just help investigate crimes committed around the city. For example, there's been a string of murders recently that’s been spreading to numerous cities. You’ve might of heard of it?”

Tsukiko’s mind shifted back to the newspaper article she never finished. “Pretty sure I did.”

“Well, that was one of the last cases the force has been working on.”

Curiosity seeped into Tsukiko’s words as she continued talking. “So, I’m guessing you have a hand in investigating it, too?”

“Oh... I’m… Um…”

He glanced away from Tsukiko, his face a brighter shade of red than ever.

“...Retired.”

Before Tsukiko had time to process his words, he interrupted once again.

"I-I'm sorry! I only accepted this because I wanted to see if my skills could find me a better job! I know that's selfish, but-"

Without thinking, the words crept up Tsukiko’s throat and rolled out limply.

"But... why?”

"It's... complicated."

Although Tsukiko wanted to ask him what exactly made him throw away his talent, his expression of horror quickly changed her mind.

Doing his best to recompose himself, he stood upright in the same formal fashion as before and pointed to the device Tsukiko held in her hands. 

"B-But anyways, do you know how to work that map I gave you?"

"Wait, this is a map?"

 He politely nodded, gesturing Tsukiko to step forward and hand him her tablet. Without question she did so, with him pressing the silver button at the bottom of the screen. As the screen glowed and small images filled up the sides, Nakami began to guide her along.

He pointed to an icon with a pixelated version of herself.

"This is your Student ID. It keeps track of general information, such as your talent and birthday. It can be used to keep track of each student, but nobody else but me has had their data inputted yet."

He exited the icon, clicking on one of a green book.

"These are the rules. Don't break them, or the school will likely expel you."

Tsukiko skimmed over the words for a few seconds before responding.

"Got it!"

Nakami quickly discussed the rest of the apps, most of which weren’t as important. The notepad icon led to a blank canvas that could be used for drawing. The one with the camera allowed for photographs or videos to be taken. And the one with a photograph showed saved images that could have notes written on to them.

He then clicked on one last icon. A blueprint filled up the screen, strange pixelated images similar to her own littering the screen.

"This is a map of the school. There's only one floor, but the dorm room gets its own area entirely."

Tsukiko pointed to one of the faces.

"What are those for?"

"Oh, that represents each class member. I haven't met them all just yet, but if you need my assistance getting to know any of them-”

“I’m good.”

Nakami’s look of determination seemed to vanish, leaving only shame in its wake.

_Did I come across as too harsh?_

She didn’t mean for her words to come across that way. He may of given up his talent for God-knows-why, but he was still just as human as her.

"...I just want to meet everyone on my own, that’s all. But I've got an idea! Since you haven't met most of these people either, let's meet up later and talk about it! It could be our little mission!"

His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"A mission, you say? I'm on it!"

"Awesome! See you then!"

Without any hesitation, she made her way to the doorway, letting out a quick smile as she left. Closing the door, she felt a wave of guilt wash over her. However, she brushed it off, pulled out her map, and began her journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! The second student has already been introduced. And it's the token cartoon character! How about that?
> 
> Anyways, there's probably going to be a bigger focus on dialogue after this, since this is mainly just setting up some small stuff. I also guarantee that most of these will be much shorter!


	3. Benjiro Morishita

Slowly taking steps on the white floor beneath her, Tsukiko moved down the corridor, taking in everything around her. Surrounding what felt like an endless corridor, glass panels covered all sides of the slick white walls. Although there were no windows, light still poured into the room from the florescent lights embedded in the wood ceiling, casting a reflection from inside.

While the mirrors surrounding her helped the area look bigger, there wasn’t much to see. All she saw was an endless barrage of doors, each tinted with opaque blue glass.

“301… 300.. 299..” She counted as she continued on her way with nothing but her reflection keeping her company.

At long last, she reached the end of the hallway. As she looked at her last door, she let out a small sigh of relief, eager to await the first person on her map.

Looking inside, it appeared to be the same as the classroom she woke in. White walls, a black screen, and several rows of desks. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

However, she quickly noticed the man standing in front of the class, reading a book.

Dressed in a blue suit jacket with white sleeves and a white pinstripe tie, he looked more like a school teacher than a student. Rectangular lenses tinted the same shade as the door hid his eyes from view and his tan hair, although grown out at the back, curled slightly at the front as if it refused to be restricted to the right side of his face.

As she entered the room, she didn’t even have time to drop a quick “Hello!” before the stranger noticed her. Lifting his head up from his jacketless novel, he faced Tsukiko and began to speak.

“...Are you Tsukiko Masayoshi?”

His stoic tone and expression made her a bit nervous.

“Yeah! The Ultimate Sharpshooter! Nice to meet-”  
  
Before she could finish her sentence, he grabbed the yellow pencil from behind his ear and a small notebook from inside his suit pocket.

“Don’t think I don’t know who you are! You’re that mysterious killer in the news, aren’t you!? Admit it!”

His pencil approached his notebook at the speed of light. His right hand seemed to move instinctively as he continued talking.

“Give me all the details! Were those guns in that holster used? Or did an accomplice lend them to you?”

“H-Hold on! You can’t just ask something like that out of the blue!"

The man put a hand on his hip, looking at Tsukiko with impatience.

"Sure I can! Don't you read the news!?”

A malicious smile crept up his face and his glasses seemed to shine against the fluorescent lights.

“The name's Benjiro Morishita, the Ultimate Editor!"

With this announcement, his name suddenly popped back into Tsukiko’s mind.

"Morishita? Didn't I see you in a newspaper once?"

"Of course you did! ZTM draws a crowd, after all!"

"ZTM?"

The look of impatience returned.

"Have you been living under a rock or something? ZTM's the biggest journalist column this side of Japan and I run it! We have thousands of journalist standing by to get the juiciest stories out to the masses!"

"Woah! And you're the editor behind this?"

"Usually, but I'll look for the best stories myself if the team's being incompetent. Now THOSE usually make the front page of the news! I always grab the market’s attention with my celebrity tabloids!”

His impatience was swapped out for an eager smile.

"Hell, my first big break was when I got the team to stalk a local actress by the name of Akira Hasegawa!”

A small laugh left his throat, walking a fine line from either being out of earnest or out of wickedness.

“Week after week, stories were flooding out! Pretty sure she hasn't been acting since!"

"Y-You can't just ruin someone's career like that!"

His smile quickly grew sinister.

"Sure I can, if the price is good enough! That's business, sweetheart! You either get eaten alive or crush those in your way! So, while you're off shooting cans off of fences, I'll be creating a media empire!"

“...Well, then I wish you the best of luck.”

The grin on his faced suddenly wiped away. He looked at her with a mixture of malice and confusion.

"Huh?"

Tsukiko responded sharply, like the arrow that pierced Achilles’ heel.

"Good luck. You want to improve your talent, so who’s to say I can stop you? Hell, maybe you’ll become an even better journalist as well!”

Once she finished speaking, Benjiro’s face lit up in a fiery red hue. A newly-formed scowl began talking, each word angrier than the last.

"W-What the fuck!? No! You can't wish me good luck! I'm evil! I've killed off careers, for God sakes!"

“That may be true, but it’s not like what you’re doing is illegal! You’re just exposing the truth to everyone!”

His face grew a deeper shade of red with each passing minute.  

"Y-You’re sympathizing with a guy who ruins people’s lives for a living!? What type of fucking fantasy land are you living in!? I've had it with your bullshit!"

With a huff, Benjiro stormed out of the room, trembling with each step he took.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second character, the editor-slash-journalist Benjiro Morishita! He's probably one of the few Ultimates that could be given a duel talent, but I think "Editor" fits a bit better since he's overseeing an entire company.


	4. Haruto Watanabe

As Tsukiko stepped out of the hallway, she looked at the interior of the school for the first time and immediately noted the similarities. Everything was the exact same as the hallway, down to the florescent lights.

Making her way down the corridor, she observed the first door she came across. It was similar to the ones in the hallway, only differing from the image of a book etched into the middle of it, surrounded by a frame of wood.

 _Must be the library,_ Tsukiko thought as she opened the door.

Inside, the library’s walls were coated in a dark green, balanced out by the chestnut brown of the ceiling and floor. Steel bookshelves lined the room like aisles in a grocery store, each housing a colorful arrangement of books.

The first sign of life she saw was a youthful-looking boy on a ladder near the closest bookshelf. Dressed in a baby blue sweater with a dark blue blanket draped like a cape, he looked like a hero of a children’s novel. His boot-laden feet rose as he struggled to reach the book above him, finally grabbing it.

After reading the of the book, he glanced down at Tsukiko with a cheery smile plastered on his rosy-cheeked face. He then bounced down the ladder and made his way towards her.

“Hiya, miss!” he exclaimed.

“Hi! What'cha doing?"

He gestured towards the bookshelf with the novel he was holding. "Just looking at books! There's so many here an' I wanna read them all!"

A small laugh escaped Tsukiko’s throat. "You really like your books, huh?"

He vigorously nodded, his light blonde hair glistening under the florescent lights."Yeah! I wanna find something really, really good to read!"

"Found anything yet?"

"Just a few! But compared to my own stuff, lots of these are boooooooring!"

"You make your own stories? Are you a writer?"

He shook his head, still beaming away. "Nah, miss, I don't write stories. I tell them! I'm Haruto Watanabe, the Ultimate Storyteller!"

"That's really neat! Told any good tales recently?"

"Nah, but I saw some neat stuff to put into one today!"

"Oh, really?"

His eyes lit up. "Yeah! I was runnin' to get here an' I saw a giant alien man with saucer eyes! He looked in a hurry, so maybe he abducted someone! An' then there was this white wolf guy! I tried saying hello, but he growled at me... An' then I saw a dark-haired angel sitting here in the library! There was some other stuff too but that's what I liked the most!"

"Cool! I bet those would make a really good fantasy story!"  
  
He pursed his lips together, looking bored at her suggestion. "I dunno, those aren't really the types of stories I tell..."

"Oh? What are they, then?"

His face twisted into a demented smile. “Horror!”

“...Horror?”

“Yeah! Monster stories, psychological horror, you name it! The folks back at home come from all over an' eat it all up!”

His expression began morphing again, with his irises shrinking and a cloud of darkness looming over his face.

“But I love the gory stuff the most! Each murder with a knife, each slow, drawn out cut into a torture victim..."

He waved the book up and down.

"That's why I wanted to read stuff like this! I peeked through a couple, but my favorite is this one!"

He began opening the book, all the while staring into Tsukiko’s soul.

"Have you read it? It's really good! Get this: the killer ties up the victim an' slowly lowers him into a vat of lava! But he's still alive! He can't move or anything, so the killer dumps his body off is the desert an' lets the vultures eat him! Isn't that cool?"

Tsukiko remained silent, but Haruto failed to read the room and kept going.

"I'd love to see if that works in real life! Imagine, the searing flesh! The succulent smell of meat wafting through the air! The long, fleshy strands of flesh between the vulture's mouths!"

“That’s… great! How about you run along and find more stories?”

The psychotic expression quickly disappeared, being replaced by a wide, innocent smile.

“I will! There's some really good killing game stories I have in mind for you! See you later!"

With that, he sprinted down the corridor and out of sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's our next character, Haruto Watanabe, who could very well be the youngest Ultimate ever! Since he's one of the quirkier students, I can safely say his introduction was much easier to write than most of the others.


	5. Yuuna Fujimoto

Tsukiko strode past the tall bookshelves, finally making it towards the second figure. Sitting at a wooden table was a young woman silently reading a book.

As Tsukiko approached, the woman’s appearance grew clearer and clearer. She was dressed in a matching green sweater and skirt, with only the white lining of her top and the black belt of her skirt providing any other splashes of color. Her long, wavy hair bordered on either black or blue, cascading down her head before branching up by her waist.

It wasn’t long before she looked up from her book and noticed Tsukiko. Daintily putting her book down on the table, the woman sprung up from her seat and approached the sharpshooter.

"Why, hello there! You must be one of my classmates! It's a pleasure to meet you!”

The woman beamed at the new face in front of her, speaking again with the same voice that didn’t quite fit her body.

“Go on, have a seat! Don't be shy!"

She gestured towards the round blue chair adjacent to her original position. Following her directions, she sat down with the woman following suit.

“Is there anything I can get you? Some cookies, perhaps? Or maybe some herbal tea? The kitchen’s nearby!”

“I’m good, but thanks for asking!”

“Are you sure? I’m not doing my part if you’re not content!”

“Honestly, the best way to keep me content is to introduce yourself! Who are you exactly?”

The woman chuckled as she drummed her right hand on her seat. “Of course! My name’s Yuuna Fujimoto! I’m the Ultimate Hostess!”

Before Tsukiko could react, the woman responded good-naturedly.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, though! The most I do is serve drinks and provide friendly conversation! I’m really just a modern day geisha!”

“That sounds wonderful! Maybe once I graduate, I can visit! Tell me, where do you work?”

“Oh, well…” She muttered, her smile beginning to crack, “It’s… um... a small nightclub…” 

She quickly raised her hands up, her smile being a fraction of what it once was.

“Please don’t say anything about this to anyone! I know it’s… undignified, but I don’t want anyone else thinking that too!”

Tsukiko smiled at Yuuna, trying her best to console her. “Of course! Your secret’s safe with me!”

Immediately, Yuuna reverted back to her casual stance, her back straightened and her smile as inviting as ever.

“Thank you so much! But enough about me! Who are you?”

"Right! Name’s Tsukiko Masayoshi! The Ultimate Sharpshooter!"

Yuuna clapped her hands together.

“A sharpshooter? What an amazing talent! So, tell me, what's it like?” 

“Pretty great, actually!”

“That’s great to hear! So, no ongoing stress?”

Tsukiko drummed her fingers on her lap. “Well, maybe if I miss a target…”

Tsukiko froze, then let out a small chuckle.

“Are you counseling me right now?”

Yuuna let out a similar laugh.

“I suppose so!”

She leaned in, chuckling out the words as she shielded her mouth from the rest of the library with her left hand.

“That’s always the best part of my work! Getting to the heart of my client’s problems, helping them with dealing with them...”

As she trailed off, her expression changed. Unlike the large and radiant smiles she kept during her conversation, the one she had on was small and thoughtful.

“It’s amazing. And if I can make that sense of closure last for a lifetime instead of just a single night… Well, then I suppose I’ve been doing my job right.”

The tone of her voice sounded distant and sentimental. However, she quickly snapped out of it and reverted back to her perky tone.

“But for now, I’m just fine serving the rest of my class!”

 Before she could stop herself, Tsukiko began talking.

“Don’t give up on that dream, okay?”

At first, Yuuna looked taken aback by the sharpshooter’s sudden outburst. However, she regained composure, growing much happier than before.

“Absolutely! And not even becoming an Ultimate is going to stop it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's our next character, the "modern-day geisha" Yuuna Fujimoto! This one took a couple of rewrites because of clunky dialogue, but I'm really happy with how it turned out!


	6. Koto Mikami

Tsukiko wandered around the library in search of any other people to talk to. Outside of the distracted Haruto and the quiet company of Yuuna, Tsukiko found herself alone.

However, just past a bookshelf Haruto had desecrated was a small door. As Tsukiko walked closer to it, she saw a pair of reading glasses etched into it.

_Wonder what this place is. The lounge?_

When she pushed open the doors and caught sight of the room, her suspicions became correct. A variety of different chairs lined the room, ranging from sleek black couches to dark grey sectionals. Empty black bookshelves lined each square of the cream-colored walls, each one sheening under the small crystal chandelier hanging above.

Inside, two figures were mulling about. However, Tsukiko quickly honed in on the man quietly playing on his tablet on one of the couches. Dressed in a tangerine suit checkered with yellow and wearing a grey top hat, he looked less like a student and more like a man from the 50s. The only thing that looked remotely modern about him was his tousled head of blonde hair.

Casually making her way towards the stranger, she beamed and remarked "Hi! How's it going?"

The man looked up at her and let out a large grin. He quickly waved, then went back to his device. After not acknowledging her for a few more seconds, she began speaking again.

“Name’s Tsukiko Masayoshi! What’s yours?”

With the same jolly demeanor as before, he shook his head and both of his hands in front of his body. He then pointed to his throat.

“You’re mute? Sorry! I didn’t know!”

He rolled his eyes playfully. Without hesitation, he snatched his tablet off of the couch and began moving his left hand on its surface. After he was finished, he turned the tablet over, revealing neat, black handwriting.

> _Koto Mikami: The Ultimate Voice Actor_

Tsukiko stood perfectly still, trying to comprehend how the silent man in front of her was capable at making thousands of voices, let alone just one.

“Did… did you injure your throat?”

He wrote, then tilted his head as he showed her the screen.

> _No. Why?_

“It’s just that… I was expecting a voice actor to be a bit more talkative, I guess…” She let out an awkward chuckle.

He began writing again. When he revealed his new message, he was beaming more than ever.

> _I just don’t talk for a bunch of low-lives like yourself._

Tsukiko looked at his message in shock.But before she could respond, Tsukiko quickly silenced herself. After carefully thinking over her words, she continued.

“Anyway, what shows are you in? I’m not sure if I’ve heard of you.”

He cheerfully began writing again, showing her the final result.

> _Doesn't surprise me. Just a bunch of animated crap aimed for kids too stupid to know it isn't any good._

He cleared the screen and continued writing.

> _And no shit you haven’t heard of me. I’ve been trying to avoid the public for years. The only assholes who know my identity are this bullshit company and the fifteen other losers in the building._

“W-Well, at least voice acting is fun?”

He wrote and showed her the screen.

> _Are you stupid? It sucks! You're getting paid to be idolized by a bunch of drooling little shits and whiny man-children._

He cleared the screen and began writing again.

> _Stop trying to be so damn fake. Nobody's this damn interested in a guy who's paid to talk in funny voices._

Tsukiko felt an underlying feeling of impatience rise from her throat.

"I'm not. I just want to know more about you. If you keep acting like this, nobody will."

As Koto’s usual manic grin was fighting the hate in his eyes, Tsukiko continued talking.

"You're way better than this. Rejuvenation chose you for a reason, so have some pride in your talent!"

He seemed to contemplate her words carefully, taking his time writing his next sentence. He then revealed the device to a hopeful Tsukiko.

> _You really this this company cares about you? This place holding out hope for any of us is fucking stupid._

He began manically writing, clearing the screen with each passing message.

> _None of our actions are going to matter in the long run. If this pans out, more and more Ultimates will be created and we'll just be forgotten._
> 
> _And it's not like we're starting a legacy here, anyways. Remember all that Hope's Peak bullshit decades back?_
> 
> _Besides, what’s a voice actor and a sharpshooter going to do to change the world? Voice a cartoon character that’s running for president? Shoot down people in the streets?_

Tsukiko felt the blood rush to her head.

"Even if the company forgets about us, we’ll have the power to choose our own destiny! Help thousands of people, or, in your case, entertain them!”

The two stood there for what felt like forever. Koto was the first to move, writing one more message.

> _I can see this conversation is going exactly nowhere with you. So, before you blow out your last working brain cell trying to change my mind, I'll gladly fuck right off. See you around._

With that, he walked out of the room, waving joyfully before opening the door to the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our next student, the selective mute Koto Mikami, is the next to be introduced! And yes, you're stuck with him. You better hope he dies in Chapter 1!


	7. Asami Oshiro

After Koto’s departure, Tsukiko anger slowly depleted as she looked towards the only other person still left in the room. Sitting far away in one of the black sectionals, a woman with wavy black had her head buried in a magazine, flipping each page with her ruby colored nails.

Tsukiko approached her from behind, letting out a quick “Hi!” for her to respond to. It was only when the woman turned around that Tsukiko got a good view.

She was dressed in a glamorous red dress, her breasts seeming to be the only thing holding it up. Perched in her hair was a white headband with an ornate flower placed stylishly on it. A pearl choker and matching bracelets lined her neck and arms.

For all Tsukiko knew, she looked like a movie star.

But then she saw her face.

From the nose down, it looked perfectly normal. Her nose was narrow and she was wearing lipstick the same shade as her dress. However, her eyes were much more eccentric. Unlike the saucer-sized eyes of Nakami, hers were trapezoidal with large, black slits staring back. Although heavy amounts of eyeliner seemed to mask the strangeness of them, it was still very noticeable.

As Tsukiko took in the woman in front of her, the stranger did the same, eyeing up every area of her with a frown perched on her face.

A breathy voice left the stranger’s mouth.

"...Darling, what are you wearing?"

"Huh?"

She pointed to her clothes, making a face as if she was taking out garbage.

"That outfit! It's so... pedestrian! Who wears a crop top with a beige jacket? And that jacket! If you're going for the cowgirl look, at least throw some frills on it! Plus, what's with all the blue? Your skirt and neck scarf don't match your color scheme at all!"

She moved her finger towards the upper part of her body.

“That entire hairdo needs to go, too. The chestnut brown doesn’t match your top! You can keep the tiny cowboy hat, but lose everything else!”

"S-Sorry! This is just what I usually wear..."

"Then do you dress yourself in the dark!? Look in the mirror before you leave the house next time! Someone with my glamor simply can’t be seen with the likes of… that!"

"A-Alright, but I don't really care about dressing up if-"

She was cut off by an audible gasp.

"The nerve! You're going to tell Asami Oshiro, the Ultimate Seamstress of all people, that you don't care about fashion!? Do you have a death wish or something!?”

"Sorry! I didn't know!"

"Didn't know!? You don't recognize me!?"

"...Am I supposed to?"

Asami put a hand on her hip, looking at her with exasperation.

"Do you not have a television? Or have you not watched Operation Fashion before?"

Tsukiko let out a nervous laugh.

“I… can’t say that I have…”

“Darling, do you live in the dark ages or something? Operation Fashion is the most popular reality TV show out there! Sixteen of the most stylish designers from all over the world compete to win by crafting stunning outfits!"

Her face began to light up as she spoke.

“Every week, it’s an exciting design challenge! Working with clothes from thrift stores, using plants on dresses, God, I get goosebumps just thinking about it!”

Tsukiko laughed. 

“Sounds like a fun show! Were you on it?”

Asami smiled wider than ever.

"On it!? I won the season! Kicked Colette Mayer's ass in that final runway and took home this season's crown!"

"Congrats! I'm sure it was a tough battle, but-"

She was cut off by Asami, who looked at her with contempt in her eyes.

"What are you implying?"

"Huh?"

"Are you saying that that bitch was better than me? That I didn't deserve that crown!?"

"W-What? N-No, I-"

"You're just like the press! Those brain-dead idiots still think she should of won! Those fuckers called me ugly compared to her! Well, you know what!? I'm _much_ more fashionable than her stupid ass! And don't you fucking forget that!"

"Th-That's not it! I was just saying how hard you probably worked! You completely deserve your title! I swear!"

Asami snapped out of her bitter mindset and began to form a small, smug grin on her face.

“Thank you, thank you. I’m not signing autographs right now, though. However, you’re free to buy my merchandise once I set up shop.”

“Oh, you have your own shop?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I make dresses, shirts, pants, you name it! And mark my words! It’s ten times better than any of the shit those other bitches are making!”

“Well, I hope to see some of your stuff soon!”

Asami let out a playful wink.

"That's what everyone says, darling."

She then gestured the sharpshooter over with her right hand.

“Now get your ass over here while I size up your chest! I’m not being caught dead with a walking fashion disaster like yourself for the next four years!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next student, the judgmental but jealous Asami Oshiro! She's kind of a side effect of me watching way too much Rupaul's Drag Race lately, so make of her what you will.


	8. Chie Takahashi

Once Asami was done groping Tsukiko’s breasts, the sharpshooter left the lounge in search of the next student. It didn’t take her too long before she discovered a door a few feet away, marked with a picture of a dinner plate.

Having a good idea to where it led, she opened the door to find a large dining hall. Rows of long, wooden tables stretched across the room, each with an endless amount of chairs tucked into them. White bricks lined the walls, with one off to the side containing a small, open window with a kitchen hidden inside.

A woman was walking around near the farthest wall, looking at the scenery around her. She was much shorter and chubbier than the other girls she met, accentuated by the tight-fitting jeans she wore. Her white shirt was surrounded by an open red suit jacket with a blue insignia sewed right above the heart.

Tsukiko approached the woman, maneuvering around the endless rows of seats.

“Hey! What’s up?”

The woman turned to her, her brown blunt swaying with her.

“Hello.”

She turned back without hesitation, continuing her sightseeing tour around the dining hall.

“...So, what are you up to? Looking at the scenery?”

The woman flatly answered her question, keeping her eyes plastered onto the wall.

"Studying the layout of the dining hall. I like the designs of the hallway better, but this is fine too."

With something to latch onto, Tsukiko grabbed onto the opportunity to talk.

"I like it too! Rejuvenation really has a way with designing the place, huh?"

"I've done better."

"You?"

"Don't be surprised. This is a school of Ultimates, after all."

The woman dug through one of her jean pockets, pulling out a small rectangular card. She finally faced Tsukiko, passing it to her before beginning to speak.

"Chie Takahashi, Ultimate Architect and owner of Takahashi Incorporated."

Tsukiko glanced at the card for a moment, then back to the architect with a smile.

“So, you run your own business? That’s pretty neat!”

"Indeed. I've built hundreds of buildings just like this one before. In fact, I have a select few listed on the back of that card."

Tsukiko quickly flipped it over, immediately coming across three, small pictures. The first was a large dome, one side of it being rough and jagged with stones while the other was silver and embedded with strips of colorful neon lights. The second was a mess of black and white Tetris blocks, balancing off of each other unevenly. The final picture was a building made entirely of glass in the shape of a dragon.

As Tsukiko looked up in disbelief, Chie responded monotonously. 

"Those are some of my less impressive works, but they still attract a crowd. We've got tourists visiting them and employers depositing large sums of money to our accounts."

_These are her_ less _impressive works!?_

"All that? By yourself?"

"And my construction crew."

"Wow! Have you told the others?"

Chie looked at her with a fraction of contempt, her face darkening.

"Why would I? I'm here to improve my business. Not talk to people I'll never see again.”

“T-That’s good and all, but you’ll be here for four years! Won’t isolating yourself be a bit… lonely?”

“Not if I’m studying the entire time. I’ve requested for my lessons to be full time. Excluding lunch hours and my sleep schedule, I’ll be working twenty-four hours a day.”

“But… isn’t that tiring?”

“It’s no different from my usual shifts.”

“Alright, but if you even need someone to talk to, let me know! It’s not right that a classmate of mine should be lonely! Work hard, but don’t neglect yourself, okay?”

Silence filled the room for a brief moment. Chie’s stoic demeanor transformed into a small smile, yet her eyes remained as dull as ever.

“That’s a lot of enthusiasm for someone who’s never met me before. Keep that for long enough and you’ll make a fine employee someday.”

However, her smile quickly faded.

“But worrying about me is a waste of time. I can very well handle this place on my own.”

And with that, the architect turned away from the conversation and went back to staring at the walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's our next character, the accomplished business owner Chie Takahashi! Oddly enough, the influence behind most of her character was based on a single image of [this motherfucker](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/danganronpa/images/d/dc/Imposterrealface.png/revision/latest?cb=20160908144704).


	9. Hibiki Okamura

Parting ways with the despondent architect, Tsukiko arrived at her next stop. Two different doors greeted her, with the one to the left having a stethoscope on it while the right showed a bandage. Tsukiko smiled, already getting the hang of guessing where each door led to and entered the left one.

Compared to the other rooms Tsukiko had glanced at, the one she was looking at wasn’t very special. The room was a faded blue color and was lined with a dingy grey carpet. The only thing that seemed to stand out were the beds lining the far wall, each leaning slightly upwards with white guard railings surrounding it.

Aside from her, the room was completely empty. However, the sound of sloshing liquid and clanging bottles soon gave her company. She followed the sound to the door across the room, opening it.

Inside, a barrage of odds and ends sat on the cluttered shelves. From bottles in every colour of the rainbow to boxes labelled with pictures of medical tools, there seemed to be a place for everything.

The noise was instantly traced back to a man shifting each item around the shelves. As he hurried around the room, one single thought entered Tsukiko’s mind.

_Have… I seen this guy before?_

She racked her brain until the memory returned to her. Before she ever received her acceptance letter, a government surgeon had announced his temporary retirement to the public, planning to take a four-year hiatus due to joining Rejuvenation’s program. Pictures were taken to commemorate the event.

One image in particular came to mind. The surgeon, with his back facing away from the camera, was speaking to the student in front of her right now. 

The contrast between both parties stood out to Tsukiko. The surgeon was tanned and muscular, dressing in an elegant blue suit for the event. Meanwhile, the student was dressed in a black housecoat with blue gloves and a matching mask over his mouth. He seemed in a hurry, so Tsukiko originally assumed he was an assistant who arrived at the wrong time. Not another future Ultimate.

All it took was a single step inside the room to get his attention. He turned around and stared at her with the same wide eyes as the picture. Everything looked the same, excluding the strange mask perched on his head.

The two stood frozen in time until the stranger finally made the first move, running towards the door while a quiet “Excuse me” broke the silence.

Instinctively, Tsukiko blocked the door.

“Hold on!”

He stepped back in fright, shivering slightly. Tsukiko continued to speak.

“Sorry if I frightened you! I just want to get to know you!”

She extended her right hand as a sign of peace.

"Tsukiko Masayoshi, Ultimate Sharpshooter!”

The man twiddled his fingers, avoiding eye contact with the stranger in front of him. His silence didn’t deter Tsukiko as she began speaking.

“Hey, don’t be shy! It’s an honor to meet someone like you! If the Ultimate Surgeon can approach you with confidence, I’m sure everyone else will as well!”

The man locked eyes with her and flinched. In a nervous quiver, he asked “H-How did you know that!?”

“Oh, I just saw it in the news. You weren’t in any articles or anything, just a small picture during the going away party. No big deal, really!”

Tsukiko waited for relief to wash over his face, but he continued to stare at her with dread in his eyes. She calmly continued talking.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.”

The words lingered around the room. Finally, he limply raised his hand to her own, refusing to look at her face as his own grew red.

"...Hibiki Okamura. The Ultimate Surgeon."

He quickly lowered his hand as Tsukiko tried to process what he just said.

“...The Ultimate Surgeon? But… wasn’t that other guy-”

“H-He’s just an agent. I get him to appear in public events for me… The government offered him to me, so-”

“The government? How...?”

“I-I helped a prime minister’s relative. They… They were in an accident. I was just there at the right time, really. B-Back then, I was just a beginner, but I was told I should work for them…”

“That’s amazing! Does anyone else know about this?”

He shook his head, his turquoise hair moving from side to side.

“I-I just focus on the work. I don’t want the publicity…”

"Well, you should let everyone know, then!"

His eyes grew even wider than usual.

“What?”

"Tell them who you really are! If you're going to be an Ultimate, you should make yourself know to the world!"

"NO!"

After expelling what little force he had in his voice, he returned to his usual shaky pitch.

"N-Nobody should know who I am! T-They'll stare at me! Judge me! Whisper unspeakable things and point accusing fingers!"

As he spoke, he grew more and more horrified. His eyes were as wide as ever and sweat began pouring down his face. His already-pale skin had become ghost-like in color. Tsukiko did her best to comfort the surgeon, approaching him slowly.

"H-Hey, it's gonna be okay! Nobody's going to think that. If anything, they'll be proud of you! You've come this far! Isn't that amazing?"

“No! That’s not true! They’ll see all the mistakes I’ve made! I can’t be forgiven for those!”

"Nonsense! If you can't be forgiven, then why were you given a chance to begin with?"

After those words, Hibiki began to breathe normally again as his face regained what little colour it had. Tsukiko smiled.

“Better?”

He silently nodded.

Tsukiko’s smile grew bigger as she clapped her hands together.

"That's the spirit! Now, why don't we start off small and just introduce you to the rest of the class, huh?"

"THE REST OF THE CLASS!?"

Tsukiko sighed as Hibiki restarted his nervous breakdown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Hibiki Okamura, or, as I like to call him, the gay lovechild of Seiko and Mikan! 
> 
> Sorry for the long amount of setup on this one, the next will be much quicker.


	10. Misao Kawarino

When Hibiki’s nerves were finally intact again, Tsukiko parted way and walked next door. To the left of the school hospital stood a single door with an open package labelled on it.

_Huh… Wonder what this place is…_

Opening the door revealed a small warehouse no bigger than a walk-in closet. Boxes and chests littered the floor and stood perched on the giant metal rack at the far end of the room. The whole room was made from shiny grey metal, giving off a more industrial vibe than the other rooms.

The woman inside the room immediately stood out. The tips of of her rose-coloured hair seemed to shoot up in four clumps, all just below her breasts. Two equally large clumps of hair rested on the shoulders of her bubblegum pink sweater. A helmet was perched on top of her head, with the light blue streak in the middle matching her skirt.

It wasn’t long before the woman caught a glimpse of her and turned around. Her light blue eyes lit up as she rushed towards Tsukiko. Once she reached her, she could barely stay still.

"Tsukiko Masayoshi, right!? The Ultimate Sharpshooter!?"

“Yeah! Nice to meet-”

Her sentence was cut off by an excited squeal from the stranger.

"Oh! My! Gosh! It's been a dream of mine to meet you! I've heard so much about you!"

"...Oh, really?" Tsukiko asked, thrown off guard by the sudden change in moods between her and the last person she visited.

“Yep!”

Giving up any attempt to keep still, the woman paced from side of the room to another, rattling off what came to her mind.

“You were in the top percent of each shooting gallery you visited! You always got every bulls-eye you laid your bullet on! Oh! And you once knocked down a tower of cans from a mile away! Without looking!”

"How did you-"

“I looked you up! With a talent like yours, who wouldn’t?”

The woman let out a romantic sigh before continuing her pacing.

"This place is amazing! Just down the hall I saw Haruto Watanabe, the master of horror! And I got a glimpse at Chie Takahashi, the creator the neatest buildings ever! And _the_ Operation Fashion phenomenon, Asami Oshiro, said hello with her middle finger!"

Taken aback by her enthusiasm, Tsukiko let out a good natured chuckle.

"Glad to see you're enjoying it!"

"I am! I've never seen so much greatness in one room before! Not even when filming!"

"Filming? Are you an actress of something?”

The woman let out a hearty laugh.

"Oh, no! I'm Misao Kawarino, or "Kawarino the Unbreakable" as the folks call me! But you can call me..."

She winked and flashed a peace sign.

"...The Ultimate Daredevil!"

She began to laugh again.

"I just can't believe I can finally say that!"

“Oh? A daredevil? What type of stuff do you do, exactly?”

“Lots! Like, once, I jumped off a building with only a teeny tiny mattress breaking my fall! And once I threw myself into a tiger cage wearing a meat dress! I smelled like steak for weeks after that!”

“Wow! Why haven’t you been in more movies? I would love to see your work!”

Once again, she let out a hearty laugh.

“ _I_ don’t make the movies, silly! I’m just a stunt double!”

“I’m guessing you’re here to become a bigger star, then?”

Misao cocked her head to the side, looking at her like a confused puppy.

“Why do that?”

Misao’s face tightened into a large smile.

“Being close to the rest of the actors is the only reward I need! Just last month, I met the American superstar Alisa Summers! She was super busy all the time, though, even on our lunch breaks! But at the end of shooting, she gave me a "love tap" as a parting gift!"

She winked at Tsukiko as she rolled up her right sleeve, revealing a dark purple bruise.

“That was a great summer!” she sighed.

Without pausing, she snapped her fingers.

“Ooh! That reminds me! I hear there's some famous voice actor named Koto Mikami here! Maybe me and him can meet, too!

Her hand shot out in front of her like a spring.

“It’s an honor meeting you! Byeeeee!”

As Tsukiko was still trying to process the speed of Misao’s last few actions, the daredevil headed out the door and fled off to the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit son, our next character's been introduced: Misao Kawarino, the daredevil-slash-stunt double! I'd say she's inspired by my inner fan girl, with the only difference being that my inner fan girl won't poison my readers with diabetes.


	11. Ichika Kobayashi

With nobody but her around, Tsukiko stepped out of the cluttered warehouse and made it to the room immediately to the left of it. A large door stood in her way, with an open curtain being depicted on the wooden board.

Opening the door, a large stage immediately stood out to her. Velvety red curtains surrounded the back wall like a satiny head of hair while a panel of lights watched over it. The floor was lined with wooden panels that ran down to the floor, where a small row of folded chairs were already set up.

Pacing on stage was a woman looking over a sheet of paper. As her eyes darted across the page, she would occasionally adjust her glasses with a glove-laden hand. Her voluminous orange hair had a small blue top hat perched on top, matching the sleek blue suit and skirt she wore.

As Tsukiko made it up the four wooden steps and onto the stage, the woman caught sight of her and hurried over, paper clutched in hand.

“Say, you there! Can you do me a favor? I'm working on this act right here, but nobody to perform it in front of! Can you lend me your ears?”

“Sure! What kind of act is it? A theatre performance?”

Without warning, the woman began punching herself in the head. Despite the self-inflicted violence, she still managed to let out a hearty laugh.

"Sorry! I thought you knew me! If I lost my head, it wouldn't matter 'cause there's nothing in there anyway! I'm Ichika Kobayashi, the Ultimate Comedian! A pleasure to meet you!"

She slapped the sheet of paper in her hands.

"And this useless pile of junk right here is the routine I'm working on! I’ll give you a listen…”

Clearing her throat, she clutched the paper in front of her face and began to ramble on.

" _Alright, so a polar bear walks into a bar. He's staggering in all drunk and stuff, lookin' at the bartender dazed before making his way over to him._

_In a gruff voice, he tells him "three shots of gin!", passing him a hundred bucks. Though he's his only customer of the night, the bartender turns down his offer._

_In a snarl, the creature asks "Why not!?"_

_The bartender, with a trace of sympathy in his voice, tells him "I can't bear to see you like this."_

Silence.

"...Get it? Bear? 'Cause he's a polar bear?"

Even more silence.

"...Yeah, you're right."

She began cracking up, smacking the paper with her right hand.

“It's terrible! I've been so bad lately that I should be put on some type of watchlist!"

"H-Hey, it wasn't that bad!"

"Sure it was! All my other jokes are getting that exact same reaction!"

She pointed both of her hands at a man in the distance.

"Heck, that guy over there listened to five of them without cracking up once!"

“Hey, I’m sure it’s just a bad day! You're the Ultimate Comedian, right? I’m sure you didn't get that out of pity!"

She eagerly pointed a finger at Tsukiko, her jolly smile not leaving her face.

“That’s the thing! You’re thinking of the old me!”

She began raising her arms in the air, making a grand gesture with each sentence she spoke.

“Back in the day, I traveled all over the world! Rented out venues and had those buggers sold out by the end of the night! Whether it was a slapstick routine or some clever wordplay, those guys would crack up every single time!"

She quickly shrugged.

“But, hey, I just don’t have it anymore!”

She abruptly pointed back to Tsukiko, now with a gleam in her eye.

“So I shut down the act!”

“WHAT!?”

"Yessir! Not like anyone would miss it! By the end of my career I was getting more crickets than cheers anyhow!"

She let out a small, all-knowing wink.

But, see, that’s exactly why I’m here! I don't know why a place like this accepted someone who's jokes blow harder than a hurricane, but if Rejuvenation can't do something with this useless pile of flesh, nobody can!"

"D-Don't talk like that!"

"Ah, but it's true! I don't deserve a place among the greats! There's others out there who deserve this title way more than me! I'm just an extra! Like an NPC in some video game!"

Staring at the Ichika, Tsukiko tried to see if she was kidding. However, she stood her ground, continuing to grin from ear to ear. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head.

“How’s this? Since you don’t think your jokes are any good, how about I help you fix them?”

Again, Ichika laughed.

"Oh, you don't wanna do that! You should do something more productive! Like watch paint dry!"

"Nonsense! I want to help you improve! I don't care how bad you think they are, I'm sticking through them!"

"If you insist! This stuff could cause the next disaster, though, so you’ve been warned!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's our next character, the once-amazing comedian Ichika Kobayashi! With her shitty puns and cheerful self-hatred, she's probably the closest thing I have to a self-insert.


	12. Yutaka Kobara

Several unfunny jokes later, Tsukiko parted ways with the comedian, setting her sights on the figure across the room.

A tall, muscular redhead dressed in an open black tuxedo was moving around the back of the room erratically. One minute, he was pirouetting, his entire body being balanced on the tip of white dance shoes. The next, he was thrusting a black pant leg high in the air. Occasionally, he would even dip himself backwards, almost losing his dark trilby each time he did so.

The man paid no attention to her, focusing on his movements with a stoic gaze. It was only after finishing a triple pirouette that he caught sight of her watching him. When he did, his serious demeanor was quickly replaced with a startled one.

“Wow! Nice moves!” Tsukiko told the man as she approached him.

The stranger cleared his throat, trying his best not to turn bright red but failing. “Thank you, miss. It’s a simple routine I’ve been working on. Just because class hasn’t started yet doesn’t mean I can slack off.”

Tsukiko chuckled. "Simple? That was a show in of itself!"

The man looked away from her, unable to face her cheery gaze. “W-Well, I suppose my routines are much more… advanced than normal.”

He finally mustered the strength to look her in the eye. “I’m Yutaka Kobara. The Ultimate Choreographer.”

“Hey, I think I know you!”

“Y-You do?” he asked as his face turned the same tomato-red as before.

“I think so, at least. I swear I saw your name in the news…”

He returned back to his serious demeanor. “It’s likely you have. I’ve been working as a dance instructor for dozens of musicals now. Just last month I even scored a gig overseas in Broadway!”

“That’s exactly it! How did it turn out, by the way?”

“The show went off great, but behind-the-scenes was a mess. Nobody could ever get through an practice without screwing up at least once. The was always that _one_ person who would mess things up.”

Yutaka began throwing his arms left and right to emphasise his point.

“Some dancers were spinning two and a half times instead of the required three. Others failed to keep their toes pointed. Hell, some guy kept _stepping_ instead of _pivoting_! Luckily, we got things done, but it was two years later than expected…”

“Hey, at least it got done! I bet it was amazing!”

He looked away, shyly playing with his hands. “T-Thank you. It really could of been better, though…”

“No problem. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you!”

She pointed towards the stage, where Ichika was still looking over her script.

“Hell, that lady over there was telling me about you moments ago!”

His expression quickly became startled again. “M-Miss Kobayashi? What did she say about me?”

“Oh, she just said you listened to her performance.”

Yutaka quickly let out a sigh of relief, then crossed his arms. “Of course. She seemed dedicated to her craft. But halfway through, I realized all she was doing was making fun of her own work.”

He stood tall, twisting his face in anger. “She had absolutely no incentive to perfect her craft! If I was her, I would be working day and night rewriting those scripts!”

Tsukiko looked at Yutaka with a bit of worry in her eyes.

“Did you… do anything to her, by any chance?”

“I sure did! I walked up right to her-”

“Yeah?”

“Looked her straight in the eye-”

“Yeah?”

“And politely excused myself. Despite how… lovely she was, I can’t condone that sort of behavior.”

He clutched a fist, looking at Tsukiko with the same seriousness from when she first saw him. “You can’t reach your full potential if you beat yourself up like that! She’s a wonderful girl, but that type of cynicism needs to go!”

He looked up at her, his face just as red as before. “But I’m sure you’re not like that, right…?”

Tsukiko shook her head. “I don’t think I could live like that. If I ever gave up on my dreams, I might as well just shoot myself!”

“I like your thinking!”

He paused for a moment.

“Working towards your goals, that is! Not shooting yourself! Please don’t do that!”

“Of course! Wouldn’t give them up for the world!”

She pointed towards the door she came in from. “Well, I’m gonna get going! It was nice meeting you! I’m looking forward to getting to know your for the next four years!”

Tsukiko waved goodbye and turned her back away from him, failing to see Yutaka’s face growing a brighter shade of red than ever as she left.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next character, the dancing sensation Yutaka Kobara. For reference, [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jqGbRp2mzo) is what I was listening to when writing and editing the chapter.


	13. Noriko Miyara

Making her way through the hallway, Tsukiko trekked across the hallway to the last door standing in her way. Unlike the others she had encountered, this one was much larger, consisting of two normal-sized doors. Additionally, the blue glass that greeted her with each stop was replaced entirely with black stone, with only the insignia of the company breaking the darkness.

Before Tsukiko had time to push open the doors, she noticed two other doors off to the side. In contrast to the large and bold appearance of the door in front of her, they were much smaller, made from the same glass as the others. Only a small picture of a locker etched into each one stood out.

Tsukiko checked her map, seeing if anything lied beyond it. Sure enough, two pixelated faces appeared within it. Without hesitation, she walked towards the first door and went inside.

What greeted her within the room was rows and rows of lockers. The only thing breaking up the monotony was the wooden benches lining the floor and a pink ribbon of paint lining the top of the beige walls.

Leaning against the nearest wall was an extremely tall woman. Her long, eggplant-coloured hair rested on the back of her leather jacket, shooting out just below her waist. With her hands fumbling inside its pockets, she pulled out a cigarette and began lighting it with a match. She placed it into her mouth, smoke pouring into the air around her.

Thinking back to the murder she read in the news, Tsukiko carefully approached her, making sure at least one of her guns was in reach in case something happened. Standing up tall and painting on her usual grin, she asked the stranger “Hey! How’s it going?”

The stranger looked at her flatly before taking the cigarette out of her mouth.

"...You don't have to do this, you know."

“Huh?”

"You don't have to introduce yourself if you don't want to. It's clear you're a bit nervous."

Tsukiko quietly lowered her hand away from her pistol, ashamed of her actions.

Although she tried moving stealthily, the woman seemed to notice. However, she let out a short, good-natured chuckle.

“That’s alright. Lots of people act the same way. Looking the way I do, it’s to be expected.”

Tsukiko didn’t want to say it, but she was correct. Just her face alone, from the perpetual shadow cast onto it to the black tattoo on her right eye, was enough to cause concern.

The woman leaned off the wall, looking at Tsukiko without any ill will. “Well, might as well introduce myself. Noriko Miyara. Ultimate Matchmaker."

“...Matchmaker? As in… romance?”

The woman let out a small smile. “Don’t worry. Everyone else reacts like that as well. I understand it's a bit confusing, but I promise it’s true. Been running my own dating business for a while now. It even ended up with a 95% success rating.”

“I hope being here isn’t affecting it. I’d hate for people to be lonely without your help…”

“I doubt there will be much different. I worked from wherever, only needing to travel if a client told me to. As long as this place lets me accept emails, letters, and phone calls, I’ll be fine.”

“That’s great to hear!” Tsukiko told Noriko with a quick chuckle. “Maybe you can help me find a dreamboat of my own someday!”

With the same flat expression as before, Noriko turned to her and calmly told her “I can try right now if you want.”

“Really? Don’t you need to get to know me first?”

“It’s fine,” Noriko told her, letting out a quick wink from her tattooed eye. “I have a knack for this, anyway.”

“Then go right ahead!”

Noriko gazed at Tsukiko for several moments, letting herself take in everything she could. After several moments had passed, she finally began to speak.

“Your stance indicates confidence. Meanwhile, the expression on your face looks very passionate. Additionally, your attire suggests you’re an adventurous and curious kind of girl. Finding someone with these traits can be a good starting point, but I can’t say with certainty quite yet.”

Impressed with her analysis, Tsukiko beamed and proclaimed “Then I’ll make sure to talk to you more! Hell, maybe I’ll find out more about you, too!”

“...I appreciate the sentiment, but it isn't wise for you to be talking to me."

“Huh? Why not?”

"Because you have so much to lose. Your stance, your tone of voice, it's all so... positive. Like a ray of light."

Without turning around, she quickly snuffed out her cigarette on the wall behind her.

"And I'm the dark clouds looming overhead."

“Hey, there’s no need to beat yourself up! I’m sure you’re awesome!”

A small laugh from Noriko cut through the silence of the room. "I assumed you thought that. No, I don't hate myself. I'm just stating the facts. You know the other five percent of my business?"

"Yeah?"

“That’s when I got directly involved. Every time I did, the whole thing fell apart.”

“But… why? What changed?”

“I saw… too much of their true selves.”

She stared intently, with the shadow cast on her face somehow growing much darker than before.

"Selfish bastards. All of them. As soon as we met, they-"

She stopped, took a deep breath, and gave a weak smile.

"...And that's why I don't talk to people."

As she got up and headed towards the door, she told Tsukiko one last thing before heading out.

"Listen. I can't stop you from doing what you want. You're a very personable girl. But don't ruin yourself talking to me. I don't need someone like you falling apart, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next character, the ill-fitting matchmaker Noriko Miyara! Fun fact: she's one of the first characters I made for this story and one of the very few who didn't change much during development.


	14. Ryou Ishiyama

When Tsukiko left the room, Noriko had vanished completely. Not letting the sudden exit ruin her mood, Tsukiko barged through the second door.

The interior of the room was almost the exact same. The only difference was the blue lining instead of the previous pink. As soon as she noticed this, a feeling of dread washed over her.

_I’m… in the boy’s change room, aren’t I?_

Luckily for her, nobody was changing. In fact, outside of the figure sitting on the wall opposite to her, she would of assumed the room was empty.

A short man was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and his eyes closed. He had a youthful appearance to him, with his oval-shaped head and rosy cheeks adding onto it. He was dressed in a black robe with a red lining and a matching black bandanna with red symbols written on it. His buzz cut was only a slightly darker shade of brown than his skin.

Tsukiko approached him, noticing he was in the middle of meditating. Not wanting to interrupt his session, she leaned on the wall opposite to him and waited. However, it wasn’t long before he tilted his head up, his eyes still shut firmly.

“Good evening."

Caught off guard, Tsukiko felt her hand slowly make its way towards her guns before she stopped herself. He seemed to notice, but smiled.

“It is alright. I am no foe. I am Ryou Ishiyama, the Ultimate Tai Chi Master.”

He gestured her towards him slowly.

“Come. Sit with me.”

Walking towards the opposite wall, she took a seat right in front of him. Once she did, he clasped his hands together in an act of sympathy.

“I sense not all is well in your universe. Let us mend those issues.”

“Actually, I’m fine!” she told him with an affable laugh.

“...Are you sure? Not even the tiniest disturbance?”

“Not really, no.”

“C-Come on, there must be something! Look deep in your heart for the shame and regret that’s been haunting you!”

Tsukiko thought back to each interaction she had, with only a few moments popping back into her head. Koto’s pessimism. Benjiro’s out-of-the-blue interview. And Ichika and Nakami's distancing of their skills.

“I guess I have a few…”

“Excellent. Then close your eyes and breathe through your nose.”

She followed his instructions.

"Let your stomach fill with air. Then, push out."

She followed his instructions.

"Very good. Now, keep going. Let all your feelings be pushed away."

She did before finally opening her eyes. What little dread she felt was replaced with relief.

"How was that?"

“Really refreshing, actually…”

“That pleases me. What I demonstrated is one of many techniques I teach. It is best used in times of worry."

"Say, what other stuff do you teach?"

“All different kinds of techniques. As I move from town to town on my life’s journey, I look deep into the hearts of the strangers I find and choose what is best for them.”

“Oh? So you travel the world?”  
  
“Yes. However, I have only made it across a small portion of Japan. Even with passage in time, my method remains stagnant. I simply camp outside of town and await a group of world-weary souls to wander in. Once everyone has allowed the prospect of peace to consume them, I allow them to cleanse their souls through tai chi lessons.”

“Sounds fun! How’s it been going so far?”

“W-Well, I nearly got run over after trying to set up camp… And some kids stole my spare clothes the other day...”

He quickly composed himself.

“But my messages have successfully been spread to the people. Life’s hardships cannot detain the message of harmony.”

“That’s good to hear! I’m glad to see you’re making the world a better place!”  
  
“A-Actually, the towns usually stop doing my lessons after a month or so, then go back to normal…”

He composed himself yet again.

“However, those who stand by my teachings have found peace within themselves.”

He let out a small smile.

“Now, let us see if you find it too.”

“Thanks, but I’ll pass. I really need to get going…”  
  
“W-What? Why?”

“I… really shouldn’t be in the guy’s change room. I’m sure you can practice by yourself, though!”

“Ah, but I am just a mere vessel. Not a student. B-But if nobody else is going to be here, I might as well try…”

She waved goodbye to the tai chi master, making her way back to the hallway and doing her best to avoid being spotted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's one of the last few characters: the travelling tai chi master Ryou Ishiyama! This was probably one of my favorite chapters to write, even if the change room thing was a bit tacked on.


	15. Saori Tsukada

With exactly thirteen other students already being met, Tsukiko looked at her map one final time. Beyond the black door lied the final two students. Their pixelated icons enticed her, beckoning for her to enter what lied beyond the surface to be with them.

So she did.

Pushing open one of the two doors, Tsukiko was immediately bathed in the gym’s bright fluorescent lights. A long stretch of wooden boards lied beneath her feet, continuing before reaching a very small stage. Basketball nets and bleachers were leaned against the beige walls, with only a shattered display case off to the side breaking the symmetry.

Beside the glass lying on the floor, a figure stood tall. Tsukiko politely waved and began making her way towards them.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Tsukiko turned around, searching for the mysterious voice. Her curiosity was soon peaked when she noticed a woman leaning on the wall Tsukiko arrived from.

The woman looked much more tomboyish than the other girls she met. Her hair was in a pixie cut with faded red streaks lining it, matching her t-shirt. Draped over top was an open, olive-colored cardigan with a grey insignia on the sleeve. In a calm tone, the woman continued talking.

"That guy's as violent as he is ugly. Broke that trophy case after some idiot pestered him and has been throwing glass shards at bystanders ever since."

Tsukiko eyed up the woman, curiosity taking a hold of her. The woman let out a snide smile.

"Name's Saori Tsukada."

"...The Rebel Leader?"

"Hey, you haven't been living under a rock after all."

Tsukiko’s eyes lit up.

"I've read about you before! You're that girl who started a rebellion against the government!"

"Congrats, you can read."

The memory returned to Tsukiko in a flash. Hundreds of vigilantes, including Saori herself, had invaded the National Diet building and slaughtered thousands. It was only after the government were forced into making a speech on live television that she relented. The last time anyone saw her was on a “most wanted” list.

_So how did a rouge criminal like her end up here?_

Before Tsukiko had time to ask, Saori responded in her usual dry tone.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I killed those bastards.”

As Tsukiko opened her mouth, Saori interrupted.

“You see, those assholes had it coming.”

She leaned in close to Tsukiko, looking at her intently.

"Look, I know the news is spewing out propaganda left and right to herd everyone like the dumb sheep they are, but-"

"You did it to stop another disaster."

Saori stepped back, almost looking impressed by Tsukiko’s sudden answer.

The sharpshooter continued, attempting to sound as professional as possible.

“They were planning on leaking copies of the despair video to the masses. Apparently, the public would be much easier to control that way.”

"Huh. So you're smarter than you look. Who the hell are you, anyway?"

Unfettered, the sharpshooter snapped her fingers together and smiled.

"Oh yeah! Name's Tsukiko Masayoshi! The Ultimate Sharpshooter! It’s a pleasure meeting you!"

"...So you're the Sharpshooter, eh?"

"Yeah! It's not as impressive as what you did, but maybe someday I'll reach your level!"

Saori looked uninterested, crossing her arms together and continuing to glare, brushing her away with her right hand.

"Sure, sweetheart. Now run along. I'm sure that glass-wielding crazy will be no match for you."

"Hey, thanks! It was really nice talking to you! If you ever need me-"

"I’ll pass. You may have accuracy on your side, but if I'm going to do things, I'm doing them on my own."

Uncertain of how well the conversation went, Tsukiko attempted to brush off any worries as she made her way towards the final student.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second-to-last character, the wanted criminal Saori Tsukada! This interaction was pretty fun to write too, but mainly because I can be an bit of an edgy bastard when writing her dialogue.


	16. Noboru Hatake

The final student stood beside the broken display case, staring harshly at her. His slightly overgrown white hair and the scars on his face contrasted with the pristine appearance of his green explorer’s jacket. In his hand, he held one of the many shiny pieces of glass that lined the floor.

Unfettered, Tsukiko approached the man.

"Hi! I'm-"

Tsukiko didn’t have time to finish her sentence before a shard of glass came pummeling towards her. She quickly dodged, staring up at the man in shock. In a flat, serious tone, he began to speak.

“Get away from me.”

“H-Hey, come on… You shouldn’t be-”

Another shard was lunged at her, with Tsukiko ducking at the last moment.

“I _said_ get away from me!”

“I-It isn’t right for you to-”

Another shard of glass approached.

“C-Come on-”

Another shard of glass approached.

“D-Don’t make me-”

Another shard of glass approached.

Thinking of no other option, Tsukiko quickly whipped out a gun from her holster, pointing it towards the stranger. He immediately stopped, looking at the weapon with a sense of dread. With a trace of guilt, Tsukiko continued to speak.

“Please. Drop the glass. I-I don’t want to fight. I just want to talk.”

He hesitated for a moment, looking at the gun with both fear and hatred. Finally, he let go of the shard and let it drop to the floor. Once he was finished, Tsukiko slowly lowered her weapon as well.

“That’s the spirit.”

She cautiously walked towards him. Although he flinched, he didn’t try to pick up his weapon again. With a weak smile, she slowly extended a hand.

“I’m Tsukiko Masayoshi.”

The man looked at her hand with confusion.

"Hey, don't be nervous,” she told him, “I just want to know who you are."

"...Noboru Hatake. The Ultimate Wilderness Expert."

"...The one who spent his whole childhood living in the woods?"

"Yes."

Tsukiko remembered the article she read in the news vividly. A group of hunters came across him one day, mistaking him for a wild animal. He was quickly transported to the city, where the government soon found out he had been living there his entire life. Ever since, she saw passing articles about him being a local attraction.

“So… what was it like? Living all alone in that forest, I mean.”

“...Normal.”

He looked at her with an intense glare.

“Then people like _you_ showed up.”

Noboru’s voice began to grow more and more aggressive with each passing line, barely holding back his bitterness.

“I was _torn_ from my home. Put into what they said was “home” instead. They won’t let me go back. _Did you know that?_ ”

“I-I…"

“The only way I can ever go back is by doing… this. I'd either stay trapped in the city or spend the next four years of my life trapped here. I don’t want this talent. I don’t want to be in this building. And I don’t want to be talking to the likes of _you_.”

Despite the verbal attack, Tsukiko stood her ground.

“But… why? Why go all this length if you don’t even enjoy your talent? Is society really _that_ bad?”

Noboru froze. Although the same look of hatred stayed plastered on his face, his eyes looked less bitter and more... solemn. 

Before Tsukiko could hear a response, the gym was drowned out by the sound of an intercom projecting a jolly voice into the room.

“Attention, students! This is your headmaster speaking! Everybody meet in the gym. I repeat, everybody meet in the gym!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our character introductions are finally over! Here's the last student, the wilderness-raised Noboru Hatake!
> 
> And with that, all that's left is the prologue's epilogue!


	17. Monokuma

As more and more students began to fill the room, tension began to spread around it. Yuuna was the first to break the silence.

“What do you suppose that was about?”

Chie was next.

“I’m assuming an announcement of some sort.”

It was Asami’s afterwards.

“Darling, don’t be absurd! Why would we meet in a tacky little room like this when there’s a perfectly fine performance room a few steps away?”

“M-Miss Oshiro’s right." Yutaka told the others, trying to retain his composure. "The stage in that room is much larger there than here. It’s much better for a meeting than here.”

“Then… why are we here?” Noriko asked.

Ryou, clutching his hands together in an act of all-knowing prayer, told the others “I believe that the universe is saying that-”

“Maybe the school wants us all to meet before we start!” Misao told the others, “I know there’s still a few people I don't know super well yet!” After finishing her sentence, Misao let out a quick wink in Asami’s direction. The seamstress ignored her completely. 

“H-Hey!” Ryou responded. 

Koto began writing on his device, showing his finished result with a wide grin.

> _If that’s the case, I’ll pass. I don’t want to be associated with fuckwits like yourselves._

Benjiro’s voice rose up from the crowd, telling everyone “I second that! I'm not going to stand around and deal with all of your unpleasant attitudes!”

Yuuna, concerned about her behavior, told him "My goodness, I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way!"

Misao added "Me too! Sometimes I can be a bit of a wit-dim!"

"Misao", Yuuna remarked, smiling politely, "Don't you mean "dimwit"?"

"Yeah, that too! But anyway, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings! Lets be friends!"

"S-See?" Benjiro told the others, gesturing towards the two as his face grew red, "This is exactly the type of bullshit I'm talking about!" 

“I-I don’t know, either…” Hibiki muttered, barely audible.

“C’mon, it’ll be great!" Ichika told him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders as he tried struggling out of her grip, "Maybe we’ll _meet_ your expectations!”

Saori looked at her flatly.

“...Did you get that one out of the trash or something?”

Ichika let out a hearty laugh.

“You’re right! Man, I’m so unfunny I could put people into comas!”

Nakami, who had quietly been watching everything unfold, finally mustered up the strength to speak up. 

“I-I think she’s right, though. We should at least give it a shot. A-At least if you're all fine with it..."

Chie, on the other hand, was much less sugar-coated.

"Yes. You _should_. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can all get out of here."

Yutaka stepped in to back her up.

"Miss Takahashi is absolutely right! Your selfishness is weighing down the rest of the class! You need to get rid of that sort of mindset at _once_ if you ever want to be an Ultimate! You understand!?"

Hibiki was the first to agree, wide-eyed and on the verge of tears.

"P-Please don't be mad at me! I'll do it! I'm so sorry!"

"Kobara, don't scare the kid like that ever again." Chie remarked, looking at him coldly. 

Nakami also chimed in, adding "I-I agree. That was a bit harsh..." 

Now it was Yutaka's turn to be on the verge of tears.

"My apologies to all of you! That type of behavior was unacceptable! Please, punish me if you must! I must make sure this type of deplorable behavior never happens again!"

Benjiro pulled out his notebook and pencil, beginning to write quickly all the while laughing maniacally.

"That's right, cry! Give me a story I can work with!"

"Yeah!" Haruto chimed in, "Then I can help Benji report it!"

Benjiro looked at him, a dark shadow covering his face.

"First of all, it's Benjiro. Ben. Jeer. Oh. Second of all, I don’t need your help, thanks."

“Don’t be silly!” Haruto told him, “If you’re not gonna talk to the others, I might as well help!”

At that exact moment, Benji realized the horrible scenario he had just put himself into.

"You know what? Fine. I'll stick around and talk to you all."

"Really?" Nakami asked.

"Yeah. A couple minutes talking with you all is nothing compared to being stuck working with this little shit."

Nakami looked flabbergasted with how quickly Benji sided with him.

"Oh. Wow. That went a lot better than I thought. What about you, Koto?"

Koto spent a moment writing something on his device. With the same old smile, he revealed it to the crowd. However, what it said was a surprise to everyone. 

>   _I'm with Benji on this. I'd rather just suck it up and interact with you all now. That way, I don't have to deal with you later._

"It's Benjiro, you idiot! Oh my God, I _just_ talked to the kid about this!"

Haruto, who seemed to be oblivious to all the vitriol aimed at him, cheered.

"Yaaaay! Now you can stick around an' preform your funny voices!"

>   _I'd rather have acid poured on myself._

With everyone on board, Nakami clapped his hands together.

“Great! Then if anyone needs assistance-”

>   _How about you go fuck yourself?_

“Koto...” Yuuna began.

“I-I can try, but that might be a bit difficult…”

“N-Nakami...”

With that, the students began chatting with one another. Tsukiko stood back and watched the event unfold in front of her.

Misao rapidly approached Asami, who brushed her off. Koto was showing his device to a half-impressed Saori. Ichika was berating herself while a horrified Yutaka tried stopping her. Ryou was showing Noriko some of his tai chi, looking terrified while she silently watched. Chie was talking to a nervous-looking Hibiki at the back of the room. Haruto was smiling and pointing at the ceiling with Yuuna playing along. And Nakami was talking to Benjiro, who looked annoyed just being there.

After watching her class, she turned behind her and noticed Noboru still there, nodding along to each conversation. When he noticed, she smiled at him. However, he turned his head away with a frown.

The conversations were cut short by a loud rumbling sound cutting through the room. As the students looked around the room for what could possibly be causing the disturbance, their attention was soon drawn to the podium on the small stage.

The rumbling continued until, all of a sudden, a black and white teddy bear jumped out from behind the podium, landing directly on top of it.

Tsukiko and the others could only watch in horror as his laughter filled the room.

“Why, hello there! I see we’ve got some new faces around here!”

Tsukiko was the first to talk.

“You’re… You’re…”

“Geez, hasn’t anyone ever told you that it’s rude to interrupt your headmaster!? But that’s right! I’m the one! The Only! Monokuma!”

Everyone remained silent, with only Noboru being foolish enough to respond.

“...Who are you, exactly?”

Just like that, Monokuma grew depressed.

“Kids these days… They don’t even recognize a symbol of despair anymore… But I guess I’ll have to explain myself for that idiot in the back…”

He immediately went back to laughing.

“I’m your new headmaster this semester, and I’m extending your class! Instead of four years, let’s try… for the rest of your lives!”

A few worried students looked back at the doors, with a couple brave souls making their way towards them. However, they were quickly spotted by their new headmaster.

“Hey! No leaving while the headmaster is talking! But I promise it’s true! I’ve bolted the windows and doors down and everything! But fear not! There’s still the necessities. I’m not letting you bastards starve to death! Well, unless you guys _really_ need a motive!”

“M-Motive? What’s he talking about?” Noboru asked to the horrified crowd.

“Geez, you still don’t get it? Fine then, I’ll spell it out for you!”

His laughter broke the frightened silence of the room.

“You bastards are gonna kill each other!”

Suddenly, the gym as filled with a frenzy of voices again.

“K-Kill each other?” Nakami muttered, looking horrified.

“D-Don’t be silly! T-This is just a joke, right? A cruel joke?” Ichika asked, her smile breaking.

“Nope! Unless you guys wanna be locked up here for the rest of your lives, I wanna start seeing bodies flying! You can bludgeon, stab, poison, crush, anything you want! Then, all you gotta do is pass the class trial, and you’re home free!”

“A class trial?” Tsukiko asked redundantly.

“Of course! The rules are simple: When one of you suckers gets axed off, the remaining students will participate in a class trial. During this, you need to find out who the culprit is, then vote who you think it is! If you get it right, then the culprit will be punished!”

“...And if we get it wrong?” Chie asked.

“Then everyone else but the culprit dies instead!”

“One question,” Saori asked, unfettered. “What exactly do you mean by “punishment”? Making us listen to another one of your speeches?”

“You wish! No, punishment is just a fancy word for… execution!”

“E-Execution? You mean… instant death?” Yuuna wondered.

“Oh, no! Sometimes it can take hours to execute somebody! It depends how despair-inducing I’m feeling that day!”

Yutaka began approaching the stage, anger burning in his eyes.

“Bullshit! I’m not letting some stuffed bear kill my classmates!”

Asami stepped up as well.

"And I'm not going to rot away in this hellhole!"

Before he could make his way any farther, Saori clutched a hand on both of them.

“Don’t be stupid. Don’t you remember the last time someone tried to attack that bastard? Do you want spears imbedded in you, too?”

The two's anger was quickly swapped out with a horrified gaze.

"I-I don't think all that pink will match my outfit..."

“Y-You’re right. How stupid of me...”

As the two sank back into the crowd, Monokuma continued to boast.

“She’s right! You try and harm me and you’re no better than a culprit! That’s one of the many rules I’ve added to your devices! Read them carefully, because punishment is just as severe for rulebreakers!”

The bear continued to laugh.

“And that about covers it! Let this semester of killing officially commence!”

Without warning, he vanished, leaving only a group of terrified students in his wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, at long last, we've come to the end of the prologue! I hope it was a decent read!

**Author's Note:**

> I usually don't post fanfictions, but I finally decided to get brave and post the prologue of a story I'm working on. Maybe someday I'll get to the actual series!


End file.
